IAEEL newsletter 1/94
Brazilian
Utilities : Households
in Focus
http://www.iaeel.org/IAEEL/NEWSL/1994/ett1994/PrN_b_1_94.html
Residential lighting is being viewed with increased
interest by Brazil 's large electric utilities. Guest writer
Gilberto de Martino Jannuzzi reports on
three pilot programs and the country's first full-scale residential
lighting DSM program.
When it comes to efficient lighting, residential consumers
in Brazil have, traditionally, not received much attention
from electrical utilities except in the form of educational
and information campaigns.
However, by focusing more actively on the residential sector,
significant gains can be made by the utilities. The reason
is that the residential sector represents 20-35% of yearly
electricity sales and accounts for about 35% of the evening
peak demand of a typical Brazilian utility. Residential lighting
is estimated to account for about 4% of the total electricity
consumption in the country. However, it may account for as
much as 10% of the evening peak demand. About 280 million
incandescent lamps are in use in this sector, providing 95%
of residential lighting services. Thus, the potential for
efficiency improvements is great.
Nearly 70% of Brazilian households consume less than 1800
kWh/year, which is low by international standards. Nonetheless,
these households are interesting targets for lighting programs
because they have fewer lamps and use the lamps they have
more intensively as compared with households with higher consumption.
Another important factor is that the electricity tariffs of
low-income/low-consumption households are subsidized.
THE PILOT PROGRAMS
- The first residential
pilot program was run in 1990 by CEMIG, the main electric
utility in Minas Gerais State . With support from the National
Electricity Conservation Programme (PROCEL), 3000 incandescent
lamps were replaced by 9- and 13-W electromagnetic compact
fluorescent lamps ( CFLs ) in 514 households close to a
distributing substation. One objective of this program was
to better understand the impacts of CFLs on the distribution
system. Electricity consumption was monitored at the substation
and at individual households. A main concern was the low
power factor (PF) of CFLs on the market. (In 1990, the average
PF was 0.56, and recent measurements indicate that this
figure has not changed.) To improve consumer acceptance
of the CFLs , special luminaires were also installed.
An evaluation showed that only some 60% of the households
were satisfied with their CFLs . This dissatisfaction was
primarily related to their insufficient light output. The
CFLs ' impact on the distribution system is still under
evaluation.
- A second program
was run in 1992 by Sao Paulo Light and Power (CPFL) in Sao
Paulo State . Here, 400 incandescent lamps of 60- and 100-W
ratings were replaced by 22- and 32-W, electronically ballasted,
circular fluorescent lamps installed by the utility at no
cost to the consumer.
A stratified sample of households was selected based on
their monthly electricity consumption. The program targeted
kitchen lighting exclusively since a field study had indicated
that this is where lighting is used most by the average
Brazilian consumer. Kitchen lighting use also tends to coincide
with the system evening peak. In 40 households, where a
metering system precisely recorded when the lamps were actually
used, the instantaneous maximum lamp-coincidence rate at
peak hours (6-9 PM) was found to be 67%. (In other words,
at some point during this three-hour peak period 67% of
all kitchen lamps were in use.)
Twenty lamps were also tested in a laboratory to measure
light depreciation, lifetime, harmonic distortion, and the
power factor.
Almost 90% of the participating households declared that
they considered the lamps better than the incandescents
previously used, mainly because the new lamps offered higher
lighting levels.
- The third program
was run in 1993 by the Energy Company of Sao Paulo (CESP),
another state-owned utility. In this program, the utility
supported a marketing effort in four towns jointly with
the four main lighting manufacturers. The lamp manufacturers
sold 9-W electromagnetic CFLs at a 30% discount in the local
market. The utility was responsible for marketing and customer
assistance during the campaign.
About two percent of the eligible households participated
in the program (somewhat fewer than 1500 households bought
a total of 1600 lamps). Many participating customers declared
their intention to buy more CFLs , and post-program sales
at regular lamp prices have also increased. The utility is
currently evaluating the program.
COSTS AND BENEFITS
According to CEMIG's evaluation the utility benefits economically
in cases where lamps are operated at least one hour daily.
They also concluded that the consumer would benefit by using
lamps at least 3 hours daily (it is important to note that
the CEMIG study used a 12% annual discount rate for investments
made by consumers; the same factor was used to analyze the
utility's benefits).
The CPFL program results paint a very promising picture for
the utility: The estimated cost of conserved electricity achieved
by substituting a 22-W circular fluorescent lamp for a 60-W
incandescent is US$0.06/kWh, if the utility pays the full
costs of the substitution. In the case of the 32-W lamp the
cost is only $0.03/kWh. This is very attractive to the utility
since it pays $0.255/ kWh to the supplier for electricity
at peak hours, which is four to eight times the cost of conserving
the energy.
It costs the utility $886 to reduce peak demand by one kW
in the case of the 22-W lamp ($495/kW with the 32-W lamp).
These costs are very competitive with the present costs of
new installed capacity in Brazil which range from $1800 to
$3000/kW.
Analyzed from the perspective of the consumer, there is no
benefit with the present tariffs and full equipment costs.
A reduction in equipment costs of at least 70% is required
to achieve a positive benefit.
READY FOR LARGE-SCALE PROGRAMS
Thus, CPFL sees financial advantages in reducing peak demand
and is also the first Brazilian utility to turn its pilot-program
experience into a full-scale program. This program will offer
coupon rebates to ~50000 participating consumers in its service
area. The rebate, in combination with a special program price
offered by the lamp manufacturers, will cut CFL retail prices
by an average of 50%. At this final price, both the utility
and participating consumers should benefit. The utility will
allocate $300000 to spend on customer rebates.
Lighting programs in Brazil have a bright future. There is
great potential for developing these programs, so that they
can compete with traditional supply options. Consumers are
receptive to the new technologies. The high initial costs
of more efficient lighting equipment, low residential tariff
levels, and low income levels of the Brazilian household demand
more aggressive initiatives from utilities, government, and
lamp manufacturers to implement financially sound programs.
In this way, future electricity requirements could be met
at lower societal costs and with less harm to the environment.
See also: Brazil:
growing market (IAEEL 1/94). Gilberto de Martino
Jannuzzi
The author is a professor of energy studies at the University
of Campinas, Brazil, and edits the electronic newsletter ENews
which focuses on energy issues in developing countries.
Address :
Univ. Estadual de Campinas, Dept. Energia ,,
C.P. 1622, 13083-970 Campinas,
São Paulo, Brazil
Fax: +55 192 39 37 22
E-mail: jannuzzi@fem.unicamp.br
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